Automobile starting and accessory circuit



April l7, 1942.v

Filed June 3, 1939 W. E. ST. GEORGE` AUTOMOBILE STARTING AND ACCESSORYCIRCUIT 2 Sheets-Sheet l fr; Z f

i 30' i 4 fari r y/ il A Inventor mazza E sf.' epyje Attorneys *April 7,1942. n W E. 5T GEQRGE 2,278,745

AUTOMOBILE STARTING AND ACCESSORY CIRCUIT Filed June 3, 1939 2sheets-sheet 2 Inventor Walzer E SZ eofye.

A Homey:

vention.

PatentedApr. 7,1942

2,218,745 sUromonm-z STARTING AND Accessoirs Cmovrr Walte'r Edmond St.George, Rochester, Minn. Application June 3, 1939, Serial No. 277,303

(Cl. 29d-36) Claims.

, My invention relates to improvements in electrical systems forautomobiles and the like and provides means whereby the operator canselectively utilize the output o! the ordinary battery for energizingthe starter motor or utilize the combined voltage of the ordinarybattery and of a second battery, so as to simultaneously relieve theordinary battery oi all load ordinarily lmposed by the starter whilevaugmenting the ordinary battery with the output of the second batteryforl cranking the engine, and an important object of the presentinvention is to provide a simple and eillcient arrangement of thischaracter.

Other important objects and advantages o! the invention will be apparentfrom the following description in connection with the drawings showing apreferred embodiment of the in- In the drawings'- j Figure l is atransverse vertical sectional view taken through Figure 6 and lookingtoward the right.

Figure 2 is a similar view looking toward the left.

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken throughFigure l.l

Figure 4 is a schematic wiring diagram showing the switch positioned forcombined output of the two batteries to operate the starter motor.Figure 5 is a similar view showing the switch in inoperated normalposition.

Figure y6 is a similar view showing the switch operated to connect theordinary battery and,

preparatory to bringing in the auxiliary battery in a step by stepoperation of the switch..

Referring" in detail to the drawings, the nu, meral 5 generallydcsignatesthe switch which includes a suitable rectangular casing 3provided at one end with a removable cover 1. At the opposite end ci thecasing the opposed side walls 3, 3 have respective pairs of contactposts I3, II and I2, I3 which are transversely spaced and insulated fromthe casing walls. Adjacent the coverequipped end, oi' the casingastandard Il projects from the wall I5 on which are pivoted the smallends ot a pair ot tapered arms I3, I1 which are insulated from thestandard I4, and from each other. and have individual binding posts I3,I3, respectively. Cross arms 2l, 2| are respectively secured to thelarger ends of the said arms and these cross arms have on their oppositeends respective contacts 22, 23 and 2l, 25. The arms It, I1 may be swungtogether or rela'- tive to each other so that, for instance, the arm I6may engage its contact 22 ywith the casing contact I3, while the arm I1may at the same time have its contact 24 disengaged from the casingcontact II but engaged with the casing contact I3. A mechanicalconnector 26 is ilexibly connected at its opposite ends to the arms I6and I1 and an expanding spring 21 mounted on pegs 23, 23 on the element2t and on the casing wall 3 urges the arms It, I1 toward the normal orinitial position illustrated in Figures 3 and 5.`

Individual operators for the switch arms comprise two similar headedplungers 30, 3l working I through insulated bushings 32, 33 in the wall3 of the casing, each plunger being provided with an adjustable stopcollar 34, 35 to engage the corresponding bushing in the fully retractedposition of the plunger. The ends of the plungers outside the casing areconnected by a relatively ilexible bar 36 by means oi' which either orboth of the plungers may be selectively pushed into the casing to moveone or both of the switch arms out oi' engagement with the casingcontacts I2, I3 and into engagement with. one or both of the casingcontacts Il, II.4

In accordance with the present invention the casing contacts II and I2are permanently connected by a strap 31, the `contact I2 also beingconnected to one side of the conventional ammeter 38, it beingunderstood that 'to this ammeter are also connected the ignition system,lights, horn, etc., and any other electrical accessories such as aheater, radio or the like, all

comprised within the term load" as hereinafter y mentioned.v Theremaining side oi' theammeter is connected Ato the voltage regulator 33on the conventional generator l0. The casing contact II is connected' tothe positive side of the ordinary battery 4I whose negative side isgrounded at l2. The auxiliary battery 43 has its positive side connectedto the binding post I3 of the switch arm It, while the Anegative side ofthe auxiliary battery is connected to the binding post It ot the switcharm I1. The casing contact Il is connected to one side of the startermotor M whose remaining side is grounded at Il. The casing contact I3 isgrounded at u.

Withr the actuator bar 38 in its normal initml position the switchexhibits engagement of the contacts 23, I2 and 2l, I3 as illustratedinFlm-lre 5 whereby the electrical system is conditioned for charging bythe generator, the batteries being in parallel.

With the actuator operated to'push both of-v position shown in Figure 4,the contacts in enare I2. il and Il, il. respectively,

whereby the auxiliary battery Il is connected the ordinary battery llinseries so that the voltage is availed of for application to thestarter motor.

mth one side of the actuator bar It pressed fm' instance. the left sidethereof, only the Although I have shown and described herein a preferredembodiment of the invention, it is to be lmderstood that I do not limitthe application of the invention thereto. except as required by thescope of the subioined claims.

ving described the invention,

what isf 1. A device of the character describedcomprisamabrschetonsaidsupportapair switch arms mounted for dexing onthe same m said bracket and insulated therefrom from Qcb other. saidswitch arms being independently of each other, each switch armcomprising a pair of laterally spaced contacts. a-flrst and a secondpair of spaced and operatively connecting said switch arms, expanliondill/means expanding between one sideof-idiiexiblemeansandapartofsaidsupwherein the switch arms are normallyposieach with one of the said laterally spaced contacts thereof inengagement with the corresponding ones of the contacts on the support.and manual means on said support having parts engageable selectivelywith one or both of said switch arms for moving the same out or its ortheir normal podtion or positions and into a position or positions inwhich the corresponding one ol' ones of said laterally spaced contactsensage the corresponding one or ones of the second pair of contacts onsaid support.

2. A device according to claim l wherein one of the said ilrst pair ofcontacts is permanently electrically connected to one of the contacts ofsaid second pair of contacts.

3. A device according to claim 1 wherein one of the said iirst pair ofcontacts is permanently electrically connected to one of the contacts ofsaid second pair of contacts. combined with a i'lrst battery having itsnegative side grounded and its positive side connected to one of saidsecond pair of contacts, a secondbattery having its posi tive sideconnected to one of said switch arms and its negative side connected tothe remaining switch arm, a starter motor having one side grounded andits remaining side connected to the remaining one of said second pair ofcontacts, a generator having one side grounded and its remaining sideconnected to one of said iirst pair of contacts, the remaining one ofsaid first pair of contacts being grounded, an ammeter having connectedthereto accessory battery circuit, and means connecting said ammeter incircuit'between said generator and the said one of the first pair ofcontacts.

4. A device of the character described comprising a generator having agrounded terminal and an n'ngrounded terminal, a main battery having agrounded terminal and an ungrounded terminal connected to the ungroundedterminal of the generator, an electric starter motor having a groundedterminal and an ungrounded terminal, an auxiliary battery having a rstlungrounded terminal connectible to the ungrounded terminal of said mainbattery, said auxiliary battery having a second ungroundedY terminalconnectible to the ungrounded terminal of said starter motor, and switchmeans operable to connect said second terminal of the auxiliary batterywith the ungrounded terminal of the starter motor, thus placing thestarter motor in series with the auxiliary battery alone or in serieswith the ungrounded terminal of the main battery, said switch meanscomprising a pair of independently movable conductive rock armsinsulated from each other, a first pair o! insulated contacts and asecond pair of insulated contacts spaced on the oppositey side of saidrock arms from said first pair of contacts, said pairs having theircomponent contacts opposed whereby said rock arms can be movedindependently of each other to engage selected ones of said componentcontacts on the same or on diflerent sides of said rock arms or movedsimultaneously to engage the component contacts at one side only of saidrock arms.

5. 'I'he combination recited by claim 4 wherein one of the contacts oi'said ilrst pair is connected to said ungrounded side of the startermotor with the remaining contact oi said rst pair connected to theungmunded side of said main battery, said second pair of commis havingone contact connected witll the second mentioned contact of the rst pairand with the ungrounded side of said generator, the remaining contact ofthe second pair being grounded.

WALTER EDMOND ST. GEORGE.

